Folding box.



No. 708,943. Patented Sept. 9, I902. A. VAUGHT.

FOLDING BOX.

(Appl 1; fl! d J 25 1902 (Np'ModeL) allemraier NrrE ALEXANDER VAUGHT, OF PARAGOULD, ARKANSAS.

FOLDING BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 708,943, dated September 9, 1902.

Application filed June 25, 1902. Serial No. 113,16. N m d l To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER VAUGHT, acitizen of the United States,residing at Paragould, in the county of Greene and State of Arkansas, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in boxes, and more particularly to the class of collapsible or knockdown boxes.

The invention aims to construct a collapsible or knowndown box that may be folded in a neat and compact form when empty, and thus reduced to a size equal to about onefourth of the box when built up, and thereby materially reducing the cost of transportation and storage.

The invention further aims to construct a collapsible or knockdown box which is adapted for use for the shipment or storage of berries, bread, or various other articles requiring a receptacle of this character and which shall be extremely simple in its construction, strong, durable, efficient in its use, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and foldable into a small compass; and to this end the invention consists of the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described, illustratedin the accompanying drawings,and particularly pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box when set up. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the box when set up. Fig.3 is an end View when the box is collapsed or folded.

Referring to the drawings by referencenumerals, 1 denotes the bottom of the box, which is constructed of any suitable material and rectangular in contour, the lower face of of which has secured thereto by any suitable means a plurality of horizontally-extending strips 2, spaced an equal distance apart and of any suitable material, which form rests or supports for the bottom, so that the latter will be elevated off the ground or floor and also so that the bottom can be easily gripped when lifting the box.

The reference-numerals 3 4 denote the front and rear walls, respectively, of the box. Each of these walls is formed of an upper and a lower l'ongitudiually-extending strip 5 6, respectively, of any suitable material, and a pair of vertically-extending end strips 7, one of these latter strips being arranged between and at each end of the strips 5 6, so as to be flush with the said strips 5 6. The strips 5, (3, and 7 when set up form substantially an oblong frame, and to the inner face of which are secured a plurality of verticallyextending fiat strips 8, preferably of veneer, but any suitable material may be employed. These flat strips Sextend from the bottom of the longitudinally-extending strip 6 to the top of the longitudinally-extending strip 5 and from the outer edge of one of the vertically-extending end strips 7 to the outer edge of the other of the vertically-extending end strips 7. Mounted upon and secured to the top of and extending from each end of each of the longitudinally-extending strips 5 is a flat strip 9 of any suitable material, which is termed the edging-strip, for forming a smooth surface for the top of the front and rear walls 3 l.

The reference-numeral 1O denotes a series of hinges, a pair of which is secured to the upper face of the bottom 1 a suitable distance from its front end and to the inner face of the front wall 3, at the bottom thereof, and the other pair of hinges is secured to the upper face of the bottom 1 a suitable distance from the rear edge thereof and to the inner face of the rear wall 4:, near the bottom thereof. By this arrangement the front and rear walls are hinged to the bottom, so that when they are elevated the outer face of the walls 3 4 will be flush with the edge of the bottom, or, in other words, so that the walls 3 at when set up will not project over the bottom 1.

The reference-ninneral11 denotes a support for the side wall 12, and the referencenumeral 13 denotes a support for the side wall 14. The supportll is formed of a fiat strip of suitable material and is rigidly se-- cured on edge to the bottom 1, or, in other words, so that the strip will be arranged horizontally of the bottom 1 and project in a vertical manner and also so that the support 11 will not project over the edge of the bottom. The support 13 is formed of a strip of suitable material substantially square in crosssection and of substantially halfthe height of the support 11. The support 13 is rigidly secured to the bottom 1, to the opposite side thereof on which the support 11 is secured, and extends parallel with the said support 11. The support 13 is secured to the bottom 1 in such a manner that it does not project over the edge thereof.

The side wall 12 is formed of a pair of hinged sections 16, the former indicating the lower section and the latter indicating the upper section. The lower section is constructed of an upper, and a lower horizontallyextending strip 17 18, respectively, of suitable material and a pair of vertically ex-- tending end strips 19. The ends of the strips 17 18 19 are constructed to form a lap-joint and suitably connected together to form substantially an oblong frame, to the inner face of which is secured a plurality of flat strips 20, preferably of veneer or other suitable material. These strips extend from the bottom edge of the horizontally-extending strip 18 to near the top of the strip 17 and from the outer edge of one of the vertically-extending end strips 19 to the outer edge of the other of the end strips 19. Secured to the top edge of the support 11 is the lower leaf of each of a pair of hinges 21, while the other leaf of each of the said pair of hinges 21 is secured to the bottom edge of the horizontally-extending strip 18. By this arrangement the lower section 15 of the side wall 12 is hinged with the bottom 1 through the medium of the support 11. The upper section 16 of the side wall 12 is constructed of an upper and a lower horizontally-extending strip 22 23, respectively, of suitable material and a pair of vertically-extending end pieces 24. The ends of the strips 22, 23, and 24 are constructed to form a lap-joint and suitably connected together to form substantially an oblong frame, to the inner face of which is secured a plurality of strips 25, preferably of veneer, although other suitable material may be employed. These strips extend from the bottom edge of the strip 23 to the top edge of the strip 22 and from the inner edge of one of the end strips 24 to the inner edge of the other of the end strips 24. The end strips 24 are of greater length or height than the end strips 19 of the section 15, so that the section 16 will be of greater height than the section 15. To the outer edges of the sections 16 is secured a strip of fiat material 26. This strip is of such width as to project beyond the inner face of the section 16, but is flush with the outer face of the said section 16. By this arrangement a roove or channel 28 is formed at each end of the inner face of the section 16, owing to the fact that the veneer strips 25 only extend to the outer edge of the end strips 24. The strip of veneer 25 at each end of the section 16 is cut away at its inner lower corner, so that the upperleaf of each of a pair of hinges 28 may be secured to the horizontally-extending strip 23, and the corresponding strip of veneer 20 of the section 15 is cut away in a suitable manner, so that the lower leaf of each of the pair of hinges 28 may be secured to the hori- 33, formed of spring-Wire or other suitable material.

The side wall 14 is formed of a pair of hinged sections 34 35,.the former denoting the 1 lower section and the latter denoting the upper section. The lower section. is constructed of an upper and a lower horizontally-extending strip 36 37, respectively, of suitable material and a pair of vertically-extending end strips 38. The ends'of the strips 36, 37, and 38 are constructed to form a lap-joint and suitably connected together to form substantially an oblong frame, to the inner face of which is secured a plurality of flat strips 39, preferably of veneer, although any other suitable material may be employed,and.which extends from the bottom edge of the strip 37 to near the top edge of the strip 36 and from the outer edge of one of the end strips 38 to the outer edge of-the other of the end strips 28. Secured to the top edge of the support 11 is the lower leaf of each of a pair of hinges 40, while the other leaf of each of the said pair of hinges 40 is secured to the bottom edge of the horizontally-extending strip 37. By this arrangement the lower section 34 of the side wall 14 is hinged with the bottom 1 through the medium of the support 13.

'The end pieces 38- of the section 34 are of such height that when the said section is upright the top edge will extend the same height as the top edge of the section 15. The top edge of the horizontally-extending strip 37, approximately centrally thereof, is provided with an eye 41, the function of which will be hereinafter described. The upper section 35 of the said wall 14 is constructed of an upper and a lower horizontally-extending strip '42 43, respectively, of suitable material and a pair of vertically-extending end strips 44. The ends of the strips 42, 43, and 44 are constructed to form a lapjoint and suitably connected together to form substantially an oblong frame, to the inner face of which is secured a plurality of strips 45, preferably of veneer, although other suitable material may be employed. These strips 45 extend from the bottom edge of the strip 43 to the top edge of the strip 42 and from IIO the inner edge of one of the end strips 44 to the inner edge of the other of the end strips 44. The end strips 44 are of greater length or height than-the end strips 38 of the section 34, so that the section 35 will be of greater height than the section 34. The section 35 is of the same width and length as the section 16 of the side wall 12. To the outer edges of the section 35 is secured a strip of flat material 46. This strip is of such width as to project beyond the inner face of the section 35, but is flush with the outer face of the said section By this arrangement a groove or channel 47 is formed at each end of the inner face of the section 35, owing to the fact that the veneer strips 45 only extend to the outer edge of the end strips 44. The strip of veneer 45 at each end of the section 35 is cut away at its bottom, so that the upper leaf of each of a pair of hinges 48 may be secured to the horizontally-ex tending strip 43, and the corresponding strip of veneer 39 of the section 34 is cut away in a suitable manner, so that the lower leaf of each of the pair of hinges 48 may be secured to the horizontally-extending strip 36 of the section 34. By this arrangement the sections 34 35 of the side walls 14 are hinged together. Secured to the top edge of the horizontailyextending strip 42 is a flat strip of material 49, forming an edging-strip. To the lower edge of the horizontally-extending strip 42, approximately centrally thereof, is secured an eye 50, the function of which will be hereinafter described.

The box is set up in the following manner: Assuming that the box is in its collapsed position, as shown in Fig. 3, and the Walls secured together by means of the bindingstrap secured to the section 34 by means of the fastening-pin 33, extending through the eye 41. The pin being released, the walls can be set up and are set up in the following manner: The side wall 12 is raised to a vertical position, the side Wall 14 to a vertical position, and the front and rear walls are raised to a vertical position. The section 16 of the side wall 12 is then brought to a horizontal position, so that the top of the front and rear walls Will engage in the grooves or chan nels formed on the inner face of the said section 16 and form one-half of the top of the box. A like movement is then imparted to the section 35-that is to say, the section 35 is brought to a horizontal position in the same way as the section 16, so that the top of the rear and front walls will engage in the grooves or channels in the inner face of the section 35 and form one-half of the top of the box. By this arrangement the front and rear walls are prevented from collapsing-that is to say, the veneers 20 of the section 16 and the veneers 45 of the section 35 will prevent the front and rear walls from falling inwardly, and the strips on the outer edges of the sections 16 and 35 will prevent the front and rear walls from springing outwardly. When the walls of the box are in position, as set forth, the strap will secure the sections 16 and 35 together, owing to the fact that the pin 33 will engage in the eye 50. When it is desired to collapse the structure, the sections 16 and 35 are brought to a vertical position, the front and rear walls folded upon the bottom, the wall 14 folded upon the front and rear wall, and the wall 12 folded upon the wall 14. The walls are then secured together by means of the pin 33 engaging in the eye 41.

It is thought the many advantages of my im proved folding box can be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and it will also be noted that changes, variations, and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the general spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages which come properly within the scope of the protection prayed.

Having thus fully described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A folding box consisting of a bottom, a plurality of supports secured to the lower face thereof, a front and rear wall, said walls each consisting of a rectangular frame having a plurality of vertically extending abutting strips of suitable material secured to the inner face thereof, an edging-strip for the top of each of said walls, means secured. to the upper face of the bottom and the inner face of each of said walls for hinging the walls to the bottom, a pair of supports secured to the upper face of said bottom, and side walls hinged to the said supports, each of the said walls comprising an upper and lower section hinged together, each of the said lower sections consisting of an oblong frame having a plurality of vertically-extending abutting strips of material secured to the inner face thereof, each of the upper sections consisting of a rectangular frame having a strip of material connected to the side edges thereof and projecting inwardly therefrom and a plurality of vertically-extending abutting strips of suitable material secured to the inner face of the frame and arranged to form a pair of grooves between the projecting strips, said grooves adapted to receive the top of the front and side walls when the box is set up, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. ALEXANDER VAUG'HT. Witnesses:

T. P. COLE,

T. B. KITCHENS.

IIO 

